Zero To Hero
by Hyperteenager24
Summary: Thor, the son of Odin, was snatched as a baby and forced to live as a mortal. Now, a grown man, Thor must prove himself worthy enough to return to Asgard, whilst battling unknown feelings from an alluring stranger.
1. Chapter 1

LONG AGO, IN THE MYTHICAL KINGDOM OF ASGARD, THERE WAS A GOLDEN AGE OF POWERFUL GODS AND EXTRORDINARY HEROES. THE GREATEST AND STRONGEST OF ALL THESE HEROES, WAS THE GOD OF THUNDER, THOR ODINSON.

BUT WHAT IS THE MEASURE OF A TRUE HERO? NOW, THAT IS WHAT OUR STORY IS-

Skurge. Skurge, sweetie stop…. You said you would make this story interesting.

… I AM.

No… no you're not. You need to add a little zazz to it!

ALRIGHT THEN AMORA, HOW WOULD YOU TELL IT?

Watch and learn sweetie, watch and learn.

Now I would love to talk about the hunk that is Thor, but this story actually starts eons before Thor was even a twinkle is his Father's eye.

Asgardians were the most feared soldiers in all the realms, and they didn't hesitate to kill anyone or anything that stood in their way. Odin, King of Asgard, and his loyal daughter Hela, Goddess of Death led their soldiers to victory after victory.

Everyone and everything fell to their knees before the pair, even the mighty Jotunn…. But Odin soon grew weary of a life of war, happy to have conquered nine realms as he retreated into the life of a peaceful King.

Hela was not as happy… in fact, she wasn't happy at all.

She rebelled.

Well, I don't want to bore everyone with the gory details, but Odin won the drawn-out battle. All of the Valkyrie were dead, but he was successful and as punishment, he forced his daughter to the depths of Niflheim, ordering her to rule over that realm and only come out when she was needed.

And he planned for her to never be needed again.

And of course, with his oldest practically banished to the most depressing realm ever, Odin and Frigga needed to get busy and make another heir… which is where Thor comes in.

….

"Thor…" Frigga chuckled warmly, prying her hair out of her son's tiny hands, "… behave yourself!"

The blonde baby simply giggled up at his mother, tiny fists waving in the air as he placed in a golden cot that was situated next to the throne of his Father.

"Look at him…" Odin muttered fondly, pulling his wife close as he allowed his new-born son to grab his finger and tug on it, "… he looks just like you. Just like my beautiful wife."

"Flattery will get you everywhere my dear."

It was at this moment, that Balder nervously approached them. As a younger member of the court, he had very limited interactions with the royal family… this was probably the closest he'd been.

"Y-Your highness's?"

Frigga glanced over at the young man and smiled fondly as he held up a small bouquet of flowers.

"Oh Balder…" she shifted Thor into the crook of one arm and gratefully took the bouquet, "… how lovely!"

"Thank you, Your Highness…" he bowed lowly, "… I made the arrangement myself. It contains flowers from every each one of the nine realms and- "He stopped in his tracks and flushed in embarassment, "- and I'm babbling, which you don't wish to hear." He then turned to Odin and bowed again, "A truly memorable party My King. One that will be in the memories of all for many years to come."

As Odin nodded his thanks, he failed to notice how Thor squirmed in his mothers' arms, reaching out and trying to grab Gungnir, Odins' spear that had once been an instrument of war.

"Odin…" Frigga gave her husband a warning glare, "… Did you really need to bring that to the party?

Glancing over at his son and the baby's desperate attempts to grab the spear, Odin shrugged. "It won't do him any harm to touch it. It's harmless."

When Thor was able to finally grab the spear, he managed to yank it out of his Father's hands, throwing it against the ground and giggling.

"Hmmm…" Odin muttered, wincing slightly as Frigga rolled her eyes, "… he's a little stronger than I thought."

Before Frigga could say anything, Odin cleared his throat and summoned the spear back to his grip. "On behalf of my son, I would like to thank you all for your wonderful gifts!"

"And what about our gift dear?"

"Of course my love…" Odin slammed his stick against the ground and there was a rumbling sound from far down below. Eventually, a large hammer came crashing through the doors, forcing people to practically dive to the side before Odin caught it in his spare hand.

"Mjolnir?" Frigga hissed in shock, "You're giving him Mjolnir?!"

"It is the perfect weapon for a prince of Asgard. Mjolnir will help him control any powers he might develop. When he is worthy, he will wield it proudly."

"But only when he's old enough. No battles before he's sixteen."

"Yes dear."

Frigga gave her husband a fond smile, before coming to a decision in her mind, walking a little bit closer and holding Thor out, practically forcing Odin to take the child in his arms. "Mind his head dear."

"… He's so tiny."

Thor was clearly thrilled to be in his Father's arms, reaching up to try and grab Odin's beard, before turning his attention to the pendant attached to his nightshirt. For a couple of minutes, he was content, until he eventually yawned, eyes slowly blinking shut.

Odin couldn't help but smile at the baby, walking over to the golden cot and placed Thor back in it. "Sleep well, my little Thunder God."

"How sentimental…."

Everything seemed to go dark and cold as the party-goers turned to the entrance to the Great Hall, several flinching back as a familiar figure sauntered into the room.

Hel smirked at the fear in their eyes, her scraggly black hair almost covering her eyes as her heels clicked across the floor.

"I wondered when you'd get around to knocking Mummy up again…" Hela smirked, "… You took your time Father. It not working as it should?"

As she walked up to her parents, her smirk only widened as people continued to back away from her. Quickly, Odin made his way down the steps, fists clenched in anger. "How dare you…" he hissed, "… I don't recall summoning you here."

"Oh, I'm fine Dad…" Hel exclaimed sarcastically, "… and things are fine in Niflheim, thank you for asking." She shouldered past her father, heading straight towards the cot where Thor lay, "And look at you… the second-born."

"And heir to the throne Hel, do not forget that."

Hel ignored her Father, conjuring a spiked skull rattle out of nowhere and holding it out to the giggling baby.

Before Odin or Frigga could even think about grabbing the spiked object, Thor made that move for them. Instead of grabbing the toy however, he grabbed Hel's finger, causing her to wince with the strength.

"Strong… isn't he." Hel cooed, snatching her finger back.

Odin was the only one who had the audacity to laugh at his daughter, "Very… and with a good heart. Which is more than what I can say for you."

"Charming…" Hel hissed, "… well, lucky for you Father, I won't be hanging around. I do have a full-time job that you so lovingly bestowed on me."

"Good…. leave."

Hel mockingly bowed, a wicked smirk on her face, before shadows seemed to surround her and she disappeared in a cloud of smoke.

However, despite her calm appearance, she was furious.

And if there's one person you don't want to get steamed up, it's Hel…. Because she had an evil plan. As soon as she arrived at the gates of his kingdom, Hel bellowed up the stairs.

"Fenrir! Jörmungandr!"

Out of the darkness, a giant wolf and a giant serpent came shuffling forwards, both practically brushing up against Hel.

"Hello my darlings…" she whispered, hands brushing against their fur and scales, "… are the Norns here yet?"

They both nodded, moving to one side as Hel smirked, moving over to the ornate doorway, gliding through it and into the council room.

"Hold that thread of life nice and tight now," crooned a soft female voice.

There was a loud SNAP, before a pained bellow echoed throughout the room, closely followed by a ghostly figure flying through the entrance, heading straight for the Underworld as the soul count went up by one.

The sound and sight were un-nerving, but Hel was unbothered, making her way over to the Norns.

"My apologies for being late." She skipped past the greeting, "… you understand why I'm sure."

The Norns all nodded silently.

"Yes, I know you've just been to see my new baby brother correct?" She took a deep breath, "So, you've seen his future. Is he going to get in the way?"

The Norns all glanced at one another, as though having a silent conversation.

"I know, I know you're not meant to reveal the future…" Hel waved her hand in dismissal, "… but let's think about this. Either you tell me… or you get eaten by Fenrir here. Try spending the rest of eternity inside a wolf's stomach."

This seemed to get their attention, as one by one, they all straightened up, their eyes glowing a brilliant white.

"In eighteen year precisely…" they all said at once, "… the planets will align ever so nicely."

Hel resisted the urge to roll her eyes at the rhyming, remaining silent so as not to interrupt the fates.

"The time to act will be at hand. Unleash the Titans, your monstrous band! Then the once-proud Odin will finally fall… And you, Hel, will rule all!"

Just as a triumphant smirk appeared on her face, one of the fates turned her face, looking her directly in the eyes.

"But a word of caution to this tale... should Thor fight, you will fail."

With a loud pop, the three Norns disappeared.

"What?!" Hel hissed, darkness encompassing the entire room, before she quickly calmed down, "Right… okay." She spun around on her heel and headed towards some doors that led further into her kingdom, closely followed by Fenrir and Jörmungandr.

"Hmmm, I have a little riddle for you two…" she hummed, "… how do you kill a God?"

Jörmungandr hissed, prompting her to turn to him and smirk, "Correct… you can't. They're immortal. Which means we need to turn my little brother…" She paused and grabbed a small vial of pink liquid, "… mortal."

….

Less than a month later, night was falling across Asgard.

Baby Thor was cuddled up to his teddy, hand loosely clutching his blankets as he slept peacefully… unaware of the shadows creeping across the walls of his room.

In the next room over, Odin and Frigga were startled awake by a loud crash and the cry of a baby.

"Thor!" Frigga cried out, leaping out of bed and racing towards her son's room, throwing open the door, only to fall back against Odin, who had followed her in.

"No…" he whispered, when he realised why his wife had practically collapsed, "… NO!"

"Thor!" Frigga called out, her eyes on the over-turned cradle and the abandoned toy lying beside it, "THOR!"

"NO!"

…

Fenrir and Jörmungandr paid no heed to the heart-broken cry, diving into the hidden passageways as they made their way to Midgard.

Shifting into human forms, they darted into a nearby alleyway, just as the baby started to cry.

"Let'sssssss get thisssss over with." Jörmungandr hissed, as Fenrir pulled the potion vial out of a weathered brown satchel and shoved it into Thor's mouth.

"Come on…" he growled, as Thor gulped it down greedily, "… get it down kid."

The glow of Thor's skin started to fade with every drop that he drank, prompting Jörmungandr to quiver in excitement, "Now?"

"No! He has to drink it all! Every last drop!"

"Who's there?!"

Both Fenrir and Jörmungandr panicked, dropping the potion vial and the baby, before disappearing into the shadows, shifting into smaller versions of their natural selves. However, in their haste to get away, the pair of them missed the fact that one drop was still left in the vial, hanging onto the glass for a few moments before it dropped to the ground, quickly absorbed by the dirt.

Watching from the shadows, they saw a human man emerge from around the corner, torch landing on Thor instantly.

"Oh dear God!" he cried, rushing over and lifting the baby into his arms, glancing around for anyone nearby.

Fenrir and Jörmungandr glanced at one another, both coming to a decision in their minds, before moving closer to the unsuspecting man.

"Abandoned huh?" The man was whispering to the baby, examining the name that was sewed onto the blanket, "Thor?"

It was then he spotted the creatures skulking towards him, crying out in alarm, stumbling back and falling on his arse, back against the wall. However, the baby in his arms simply squealed in delight, grabbing the snake and using it like a whip against the large wolf.

With the wolf subdued, the baby tied the snake around its neck like a noose and threw them away as hard as he could, watching as they disappeared into the distance.

With them gone, the baby glanced back at the shocked man and giggled.

….

When they landed in a tree, quickly shifting out of their animal forms.

"What are we going to do?" Jor hissed, "Hel is not going to be happy."

"… So, we don't let her find out."

…..

It was tragic.

Odin and Frigga led the Gods on a frantic search for their new-born son, but by the time they found Thor, it was too late.

Thor was mortal now.

But since he did not drink the last drop, he still retained his God-like strength.

Frigga wept the night he was found, knowing that her son could never come home, knowing that she would have her precious baby grow up from afar.

Even though Hel's horrid plan took place before Thor's first tooth, the baby grew stronger every day.

Which wasn't always a good thing.


	2. Chapter 2

"THOR! THOR, BE CAREFUL WITH THAT!"

Thor merely laughed, dodging the crowds of people as he rushed into the conference building, only coming to a stop when he realised that he couldn't hear his father anymore.

"THOR!"

Turning around, Thor beamed at his Father, remaining where he was until the older man had caught up.

"I know I said we needed to get here as quickly as possible, with all the equipment… and I know that I was upset about the truck breaking down. But you just ran with a lot of delicate pieces of equipment, and one trip would have flushed all our hard work down the toilet!"

"Sorry." Thor muttered, gently placing the equipment on the ground, smiling sheepishly as his Father rolled his eyes.

"I know, I know." His father sighed and waved his hand in dismissal, "I just need to make sure that our table is all set up and the lecture slots have been finalised."

"Maybe I can- "

"- No, no, no. You stay here and keep an eye on the equipment!"

And then Doctor Selvig was gone, disappearing into the crowd.

Sighing wearily, Thor started to pace around on the spot, eyes always on the equipment…. And then he spotted someone struggling in the distance, a large metal object in his arms, his view obscured by it.

Quickly, Thor rushed over and helped him to steady it.

"Hey, are you alright?"

"Oh, thank you, thank you!"

Glad that he was being useful, Thor peeked around the side of the equipment and beamed at the other man, "You a very welcome."

"T-Thor!" The other man's face seemed to pale at the sight of the younger man, "I-it's you."

"Do you need assistance with this?"

The man shook his head, almost yanking the equipment out of Thor's hand, "No, no! I'm fine! Go on… go about your way!"

"Are you sure, I can- "

"- I'm fine! Go on, I can manage!"

And with that, he was gone.

Thor was trying not to let that bother him as he walked back over to the equipment, only to spot several children hanging around it.

"Hello there…" he began, only to watch as the children all yelled and cried out at the sight of him, running as far away as they could, "…Oh… okay."

Children had been scared of him for years… ever since he first showed signs of being much stronger than everyone else.

Ever since he was considered dangerous.

"Watch out! Watch out!"

Thor glanced up, only to see a large drone spiralling out of control, heading straight for some of the smaller exhibits.

"I have got it!"

He leapt up into the air, catching the drone with one hand, only to impact heavily with the opposite wall.

"Uh-Oh."

Within minutes, the science centre was collapsing all around them. It didn't matter that he was able to lift everyone's projects into his arms and rush out of the building, saving them years of had work. It didn't matter how sorry he was.

He still destroyed the building.

"That's it Selvig!" The scientist he'd helped earlier screamed, "You need to get that-that freak out of here!"

"Yeah!" Someone else agreed, "He's too dangerous to be around normal people!"

Selvig shook his head desperately, "He-he just doesn't know his own strength!"

But his protests fell on deaf ears.

….

Hours later, when the pair were back at home, Selvig found his son sitting on one of the garden benches, staring up at the sky as the setting sun caused it to turn different shades of red, pink and purple.

"Son…" Selvig sighed wearily, ".., you shouldn't let the things those people said back there bother you- "

"- Nay." Thor interrupted, pushing himself to his feet, "They are right Father. I am… freakish to them. I try to fit in, but… I can't." He shook his head, eyes focused on the horizon, "Sometimes I feel like I do not belong here… like I'm meant to be someplace else."

Slowly, Selvig made his way over to him and placed a gentle hand on his shoulder, "Thor… Son- "

"- I know Father. It makes no sense."

Thor pulled himself away and walked off, missing the worried look on Selvig's face.

…

Hours later, after he'd wandered through the woods, staring up at the night sky, he made his way back home, only to find his Dad waiting for him in the doorway.

"Thor…" the man sighed wearily, "…there's something I've been meaning to-to tell you."

…

"But if you found me, then where did I come from?"

Slowly, Selvig brought a box over from his desk, opening it up and pulling out a gold medallion. "This was around your neck when I found you, definitely Norse in origin."

Thor traced his fingers over his engraved name, before turning it over and frowning at the familiar symbol on the back.

"Similar to the ones in the desert, right?" Selvig smirked, "Why do you think I was so excited when we first spotted them? I thought that maybe I can trace them back to you and maybe even prove the existence of- "

Thor tuned his Father out, fingers delicately brushing over the Norse writing.

Was this really where he came from?

"This is it…" he suddenly whispered, leaping to his feet (almost sending Selvig flying), "… don't you see! There's a Norse mythology section in the museum in New York, I can travel there and find out more and- "He stopped, turning around and wincing at the accepting look on Selvig's face, "- Father. I'm sorry, and you are the best Father I could ever hope for, but… I need to know where I came from."

"I know…" Selvig whispered, "… I've already bought the tickets for you. Just-" He took a deep breath, "- Just promise me you'll come back at some point, no matter what you find out."

"I will."

….

The exhibition was just how he expected. Led by an over-enthusiastic tour guide, the group, including Thor were led into a large chamber, where a giant statue stood.

"And this is Odin, the King of the Gods, with his loyal- "

Suddenly, she stopped… in fact, everyone except Thor seemed to stop in their tracks. Slowly, Thor moved over to the tour guide and waved his hand in front of her eyes, frowning when she didn't even flinch.

"Ummm…. Hello?"

Silence.

"Hello?"

Before he could say anything else, wind started to swirl around the room and the large torches that were next to the statue suddenly lit up.

And then the statues' good eye lit up, fixing on a slightly stunned Thor.

"MY BOY. MY LITTLE THOR."

Thor wasn't ashamed to admit that he squealed a little bit as a giant stone hand reached out for him. Gently, the hand grabbed him and lifted him into the air, until he was level with the statues face.

"SUCH PASSION!" Boomed the statue, peering at him, "IS THAT ANYWAY TO SAY HELLO TO YOUR FATHER?"

Thor felt his jaw drop slightly, "F-Father?"

"YOU DOUBT ME?"

Thor was still in shock

"LOOK HOW YOU'VE GROWN…" The statue examined Thor from head to toe, "… YOU HAVE YOUR MOTHER'S EYES, AND MY STRONG CHIN!"

"Wait, wait…" Thor frowned, "… if you're my Father, that would make me a- "

"- A GOD."

"A God… A God!"

"YOU WANTED ANSWERS, AND BY MY BEARD, YOU ARE OLD ENOUGH TO KNOW THE TRUTH."

"So, why did you leave me on Earth… didn't you want me?" Thor didn't really want to know the answer… just in case it was the wrong one.

"OF COURSE, WE DID. YOUR MOTHER AND I LOVED YOU DEARLY… BUT SOMEONE STOLE YOU FROM US AND TURNED YOU MORTAL! AND ONLY GODS CAN LIVE IN ASGARD."

"So, there's nothing you can do?"

"I CAN'T DO ANYTHING NO, BUT YOU CAN."

"Really?!" Thor couldn't deny it, he was excited, "… what is it. I'll do anything!"

"THOR IF YOU CAN PROVE YOURSELF TO BE A TRUE HERO ON EARTH, THEN YOUR GOD-HOOD WILL BE RESTORED."

"A true hero…" Thor was excited at first, only to frown in confusion, "… how do I do that?"

"FIND THE AVENGERS. THEY WILL AID YOU IN YOUR QUEST."

Now, Thor had heard of the Avengers, who hadn't?

"Alright… and how do I know when I'm a true hero?"

The statue almost seemed to smirk at this, before turning its' attention to the large doorway. There was the sound of glass breaking before something shot towards them, whirling around Thor's head several times, before a large hammer hovered in front of him.

"What the- "

"MJÖLNIR." The statue stated, "A WEAPON OF THE GODS… IT WOULD HAVE BEEN YOURS. IT MIGHT STILL BE YOURS. PROVE YOURSELF WORTHY ENOUGH TO WIELD IT, AND YOU WOULD HAVE PROVEN YOURSELF TO BE A TRUE HERO."

"… Okay." Thor frowned, "Find the Avengers, become a true hero and wield…Mjölnir, then I can become a God. Sounds simple."

"I HAVE EVERY FAITH IN YOU MY SON."

Thor straightened up at the words, a smile on his face, "I won't let you down Father."

"GOOD LUCK MY SON." The fires went out and the statue was inanimate once again. Once Thor was back on the ground, time started up again.

The tour-guide moved to scold him, only to yelp as Thor charged past her, already thinking about how he was going to get to the city.


	3. Chapter 3

The city was very different to the town where Thor had grown up. Everywhere he looked, a new building seemed to appear out of thin air and the crowds surrounded him at all angles.

The Stark building stood out high above the rest, and Thor made his way inside. Nobody stopped him as he headed to the elevator.

No security… nothing.

If it weren't for the fact that the headquarters of the Avengers was world-wide news, he'd think he was in the wrong place.

When the elevator came to a stop, the metal door opening up, Thor stepped out into what seemed like an abandoned corridor. Before he could even think about calling out for someone, there came the sound of muffled cursing, before a familiar looking man ran out of the room, eyes turned to the ceiling as metallic banging could be heard overhead.

"I'll put traps in those vents! Don't think I won't Hawk!"

Then the man seemed to spot Thor, frowning at the sight of him. "No, no, no!" the man yelped, hands gesturing for Thor to back up (which he did… slightly), "You can't be in here?! Jarvis, how did he get in here?!"

"My systems didn't seem to work. He just walked in boss."

Thor frowned at the unfamiliar voice, glancing around to try and find whoever it was coming from, before simply nodded in agreement with him.

"Seriously? What if he's a super-villain?!" The man frowned at Thor, "Are you?"

"Nay."

"… I'm not convinced." The man made shooing motions, "Go on… don't make this harder for you!"

Thor shrugged, "I am looking for the Avengers."

"You are not helping with the whole 'I'm not a super-villain thing'!"

"I wish to train with them."

"W-what?"

Thor beamed, "I need to become a true hero, one worthy enough to wield Mjolnir, so that I can re-join him in Asgard."

"…. What?!"

Probably hearing the commotion, others joined the dark-haired man, and vaguely, Thor could recognise them from press conferences and magazines he'd glanced at over the years.

"Who's this guy?" A short, blonde male asked, frowning at Thor.

"Didn't get his name, but he wants to be a true hero and join… Assgard?"

"Asgard." Thor straightened up, "You are Earth's greatest heroes, therefore you are the best team to train me."

"And why should we?" A tall blonde man frowned as he asked the question, "Do you have any special abilities?"

Thor smirked and led them outside, where a large truck sat on the curb. With one arm he lifted it up into the air, and threw it as high as he could, catching it with ease as it came back down.

The first man whistled lowly at the sight, "Looks like the Hulk might have competition, ey Bruce?" He nudged a bespectacled man in the side, cackling as the man rolled his eyes, "So how'd it happen big guy? Radiation? Spider bite? Super Soldier serum? Mutant maybe?"

"I am the son of Odin, kidnapped from my cradle and sent to Earth." Thor sighed, "I was always different. People were scared of my strength.

The shorter blonde man cackled, "Woah…. Wait? Your Dad is a God?! Yeah right!"

"It's true! And I need to be a true hero to be worthy of Mjolnir, and to re-join him in Asgard."

The first man and the shorter blonde were practically hanging onto each other as they both cackled. "I love it!" the first man giggled, "Hey Daddy, read me a bedtime story!"

"ONCE UPON A TIME!" The shorter blonde continued, unable to continue with how hard he was laughing.

Thor couldn't contain his annoyance any longer. "It's true! And you are going to help me!"

For a moment, it seemed like they were going to refuse, until Thor let out a warning growl.

"Alright! Alright!" The first man raised his hands into the air, "Maybe a little bit of help wouldn't hurt."

…..

It was a rough start, no-one was going to deny that.

A lot of targets were smashed during those first few weeks.

("You don't need to smash them like this! My poor babies!"

"My apologies Man of Stark.")

Rescuing the damsel in distress was… an interesting experience.

("You have a tight grip Clinton!"

"Don't look at me! Focus on the robots!"

"That scream was most like a damsel!")

All the rules started to get confusing after a while

("Rule number ninety-five! Concentr- AAH!"

"… My apologies Clinton."

"Rule number ninety-six! AIM!")

However, despite all the set-backs, Thor eventually managed to get the hang of everything, controlling his strength, using a basic broadsword and passing the final test with flying colours.

"YES!" Thor whooped, dropping Clint on the ground and high-fiving Tony lightly, "I am victorious!" He then turned to Steve, "I am ready Captain. Let us find some villains so that I may vanquish them!"

"Yeah, come on Cap!" Tony flung his arm over the taller man's shoulders, "Let's actually go looking for trouble this time."

"For the record, I really don't think this is a good idea."

"Noted!"

…..

"Well find something in this place." Clint slapped Thor on the back, "All we have to do is dangle Tony in the streets, and someone will pick a fight."

"Hey!"

"You should pick a superhero name first though, something to announce yourself by."

"… Thor?"

Clint winced, "Yeah, that works for now."

As they headed into the main area of the city, Thor suddenly heard something as they passed an alleyway.

Someone was swearing… someone was swearing very loudly.

"One moment my friends…" He slapped Clint on the back, almost sending him flying, "… I shall be right back."

"Ummm, where are you going?"

Thor ignored him, continuing forwards until he realised that the cursing was coming from around the corner. Peering around the corner, he frowned at the sight of a large, blading man pinning a younger man against the wall… who was the one cursing.

"What's the rush my beauty?" The larger man chuckled, "I though we could have a little fun?"

The young man smirked, almost as if he was about to agree, before his right leg shot upwards, straight into the other man's 'delicate' areas…. And then stabbed him in the side, pulling the knife out of seemingly nowhere.

However, this didn't slow him down as he managed to grab the young man before he could get away.

"You little bitch!"

Thor couldn't stay where he was any longer. Straightening up, he strode around the corner and caught the attacker's attention.

"Release him at once, you foul fiend!"

The larger man twisted around to face him, a sneer on his face, not even seeming to react to the blood staining his shirt, "Piss off… unless you want a turn as well?"

The younger man scowled, glaring at Thor as he continued to struggle, "I can handle this!"

"But… aren't you a damsel- sorry, sorry!"

The man's vicious glare seemed to turn Thor's blood into ice. "I am not a damsel. I am not in distress. I can handle this!"

Before Thor could say anything, the bald man suddenly lunged for him and punched him in the face… only to take a step back when Thor barely flinched at the hit, merely turning his head with the force of the strike.

"Ouch…" he muttered, before rolling his shoulder and punching the man back, sending the bald man flying into the opposite wall. With the other man stunned, Thor turned his attention to the 'damsel', scanning him from head to toe.

He looked… well, he looked sort of impressed, but mostly pissed off.

"I could've handled that!"

"My apologies, but- "

The man pulled a knife out of seemingly nowhere, flipping it casually in his hand, a wicked smirk on his face.

"… Nice knife." Thor stammered nervously.

The other man smirked, but before he could say anything, there was a growl from the right as the bald man decided he wanted to go another round.

"Excuse me…" Thor grunted, a beam on his face as he braced himself

Alright, his bellow was a little showier than it should have been… and if his fighting was more fluent, then no-one had to know.

It wasn't as if he was showing off.

"WOOO!" He heard Clint call from the side-lines, him and the others having clearly decided to follow Thor into the alleyway, "KICK HIS ASS!"

Needless to say, the fight didn't last long, and the larger man fell to the ground in an unconscious slump.

"I am victorious my friends!" Thor cheered, turning to the Avengers, "Your training has served me well!"

As the Captain went into a lecture, talking about reasonable force, Thor's attention turned back to the young man, who was leaning against the wall, a wicked smirk on his face.

"Are you alright?" He asked him, interrupting Steve, "I could escort you home Mister-"

"-Loki. Just Loki…. And you?"

"Thor."

Loki raised an eyebrow, "You can't be serious."

Smiling sheepishly, knowing how ridiculous it sounded, Thor gestured at the unconscious man on the floor. "So, what did he want?"

Loki shrugged, "You know how some men are, they think no means yea and get lost means, take me I'm yours." At this, he practically fluttered his eyelashes up at Thor… who looked extremely confused.

"Ummmmm- "

Loki chuckled, stepping away from Thor and heading towards the end of the alleyway, "Nevermind… well, thanks for the save Oh Mighty Thor, but I think I can handle it from here."

"I can still escort you home, if you wish?"

"I'm a big boy, can tie my own shoes and everything." Without letting Thor say another word, he started to walk away, waving a hand over his shoulder, "See you around Thor."

That walk should be made illegal.

"He was… something."

Tony and Clint both nodded in agreement, as Steve rolled his eyes. "Yes, a distraction. Now come on, you want to be a hero, don't you?"

"Verily!"


	4. Chapter 4

Watching as Thor and his friends walked away, Loki couldn't help but smirk, only to remember what he had to do next. The smile falling from his face, Loki turned and walked towards the shadows, barely flinching as a dog bounded over to him, closely followed by a snake.

"Don't look at me like that." Loki crossed his arms and glared at the pair, "Where is she then?"

As Fenrir growled at him, Loki felt a slender hand grab him by the chin and turn his head to the left.

"Loki…" Hela cooed, "… What exactly happened here?"

At his silence, she growled. "I was expecting you to recruit some men for the takeover and here you are… with no-on else in sight.

"I gave it all I had, but none of them wanted to join your little war." Loki shrugged, "I told you, nobody wants to go to war with Asgard."

"Fine, fine, fine… instead of subtracting two years from your sentence, I'm adding two on. Any more opinions?"

Loki rolled his eyes, "It's not my fault. They got scared off by Thor."

Both Fenrir and Jor shrunk back, trying to look as small as possibly, clearly recognising the name.

"… What was that name again?" Hel hissed

"Thor. Big, blond and dumb." Loki noticed the tension, "Easily dealt with though, all men are the same."

Seconds later, Hela's hands were darting out, grabbing a whimpering Fenrir and Jor, pulling them closer. "So, you took care of him, hmm?" She hissed, "Dead as a doornail, wasn't that your exact expression."

The pair whimpered and hissed in protest. Were they human, they would probably argue that Thor was a common name or something?

"I…" Hel began, frustration oozing out of her voice as shadows crept along the walls, "… am about to rearrange the cosmos… and the one schlemiel who can louse it up… is waltzing around IN THE OPEN!"

The alleyway went completely dark for a few seconds, until Hel finally managed to calm down. "Fortunately for you, we have time to correct this rather egregious mistake… and this time, no foul-ups."

….

"I've often wondered how one city can have so many different problems." Tony mused as they walked through the streets.

"I think we attract them." Clint shoved a mouthful of pizza into his mouth, "Like a circus game. You know you're going to lose, but you might as well try just in case."

"… Are you saying we're rigged?"

Narrowly avoiding an 'end of the world' preacher, Clint shrugged, "We have Captain America, Iron Man and the Hulk on our side… and Nat, obviously. It's obviously rigged." He then clapped Thor on the arm, "And now we might have a God!"

"All we need now, is a catastrophe."

….

"Why is it so quiet today?" Tony groaned, "Not even a bank robbery!"

The group were standing on the sidewalk, their conversation broken by the continuous requests for selfies and autographs. Knowing that they would probably be there a while, Thor headed into the nearest alleyway, resting his back against the wall and sliding to a seated position.

"Hey…"

He glanced up at Natasha, who smirked down at him.

"… you'll get a chance to prove yourself." She stated, "Nobody ever stays quiet in this city for long. I think all of Tony's villains have been people he ignored once at a party, and trust me, that happens a lot."

Thor just shrugged. Usually he would laugh but, without the opportunity, he wouldn't get the chance to prove himself.

Unless there was a miracle of course.

For a moment, there was silence, until Thor felt someone kicking at his leg.

"Hey… Hey!"

Thor glanced up, brightening up slightly when he realised who it was.

Loki.

"You want to be a hero, right?" Loki asked, nudging at his leg again, "Well, there are two kids trapped in the quarry who could use one of them. Here's your chance to shine."

Before Thor could answer, there was a triumphant shout from the entrance as Tony and Clint rushed in.

"Perfect opportunity!" Tony clapped his hands together eagerly, "Children trapped in a quarry!"

"You're really cut up about this, aren't you?" Loki raised an eyebrow, frowning when Stark tapped his watch and armour moulded all over his body.

"Come on Your Royal Gothness." Tony grabbed Loki under the arms, "Clench up and hold your breath."

"What do you- AAAAH!"

….

They reached the quarry in record time, where a crowd was already gathering, alerted to the place by the sounds of children calling out for help.

As Loki moved away, disappearing into the crowd, Thor made his way over to where the children were trapped, a large boulder preventing them from leaving a small cave, with only a small gap for oxygen.

"HELP! We can't breathe!"

"HURRY! We're suffocating!"

Thor knelt near the gap, keeping his eyes on the two children. "Everything is going to be alright, small ones. I shall free you in merely a moment!"

"We can't last much longer!"

Thor gripped the bottom of the boulder, gritting his teeth as he started to lift it into the air, eventually raising it high above his head.

"Savour your freedom!" He cheered, as the children rushed out, the crowd begrudgingly clapping.

"Jeepers Mister, you're really strong!" exclaimed one of the kids.

"Merely be more careful next time."

"We will!" "We will!"

As he threw the boulder to one side, Thor failed to notice how the kids didn't go rushing off to their parents or anything… they went clambering up onto a ledge, where a figure was waiting for them.

"Bravo." Hel clapped her hands slowly, "I was really moved."

As they changed back into their original forms, Fenrir turned to Jor and rolled his eyes, "Jeepers Mister?"

"Midgardian children speak like that?"

Hel ignored them, tuning to the young man by her side, "And two thumbs up for you my little trickster, I knew you had it in you."

Loki sent her a fleeting smile, before turning and glaring at the blonde dunderhead, "Get out of there you idiot, while you still can." He muttered under his breath, lowly enough not be heard by anyone else.

Unaware of the conflict going on above him, Thor strode confidently over to the other Avengers and puffed out his chest, "One heroic duty done!"

"Yeah, yeah… you're awesome, blah, blah, blah." Tony rolled his eyes.

"Do you not hear the applause Man of Iron?"

Before any of them could say anything in reply, there was a long, loud growl that came from the cave he'd just unblocked.

"Awww, monster no."


	5. Chapter 5

"Aw monster, no."

Clint whimpered as red eyes glared at them from the darkness, the creature slowly emerging. It was hideously huge, with leathery grey skin, sharp and yellow-stained teeth with spikes that then ran up its' back and long, spindly neck.

"Oh yes!" Thor was clearly thrilled by the sight, "Now this is a challenge!"

"Is that a Hydra monster?!" Tony yelped, "I thought we were dealing with Norse mythology, not Greek? What the hell!"

Before anyone could question it further, the creature growled again and Clint patted Thor and Bruce on the back, "Good luck boys! I have fifty on big green being the first to take him down!"

"I'll take that bet Legolas!"

The conversation was cut short as the creature growled and stepped closer.

"I do not recall any of your lessons concerning creatures like these." Thor pointed out, as he avoided the sharp teeth that were determined to tear them apart.

"How were we meant to predict Greek mythological creatures?! TO YOUR LEFT! YOUR LEFT!"

Thor dived away, wincing as the fangs skimmed him, ripping the arm of his uniform.

"YOUR OTHER LEFT!"

"My apologies!" Thor called out cheerfully, glaring at the creature as it reared back and roared. Spotting a piece of rubble, he rushed over to it and threw it at the creature, hoping to try and knock it out.

Except, it caught the rubble in its' mouth, shattering it within seconds as a rumble echoed through the quarry.

"This thing is laughing at us!" Tony gasped over the speaker, "Are you guys hearing this?"

"Indeed, Man of Iron." Thor braced himself, grabbing the sharp fangs in an attempt to save himself. With a ferocious growl, he used all of his strength to throw the creature's neck to one side, giving him a chance to get to a safe distance.

But it was too late.

Something wet and slimy wrapped around his left ankle and he was thrown into the air… straight into the creatures' mouth, who swallowed him with a loud gulp.

"THOR!" Steve called out.

Up above, Loki winced, hand moving up hi own throat as the creature suddenly remembered the other heroes and roared, lunging forwards in an attempt to grab another bite for lunch… and then it stopped, seeming to frown in confusion, glancing down at its neck where something was struggling to get out.

With a sickening rip, its' head separated from the rest of its' body, and it fell to the ground, closely followed by a stunned Thor.

The other Avengers all raced forwards.

"Thor! Thor!" Tony held up two fingers, "How many fingers am I holding up?"

"… Four?"

"Good enough!"

"No." Natasha scolded, as she and Steve helped Thor to his feet, frowning at the thick, slimy blood all over him, "Come on, let's get back to the tower."

…..

Hel smirked from her vantage point.

The game was only just beginning.

…..

At the sound of rumbling behind them, the group slowly turned around, eyes wide in alarm.

"That doesn't sound good." Tony whispered, before turning to Clint, "Take our word for it."

"Fuck you, I can hear that!" Clint whimpered, watching as the body of the creature rose, three heads replacing the decapitated one.

"SCATTER!" Steve yelled, all of them diving in different directions as the battle started up again.

Steve and Natasha focused on getting civilians out of the way, as Clint kept any rogue heads from eating them in the process. Thor, Hulk and Tony blasted and ripped off heads… really, it took them far too long to notice that every time that happened, three more heads took their place.

Soon, heads were all that they could see.

"STOP RIPPING THEIR HEADS OFF!" Natasha screamed into the comms, finally losing her almost, unlimited patience.

"I do not recall this being covered in basic training." Thor stated matter-of-factly, as they continued to battle.

One by one, the heroes were pinned to the ground, Clint and Natasha under one clawed hand, Tony and Steve under another and the Hulk under the other two… as two were needed to pin the raging creature down.

The only one left was Thor, and he wasn't faring much better, practically pinned up against the last standing building in the area, unable to go anywhere, without bumping into a head or two.

…

"My favourite part of the game." Hel whispered, as all the heads rose up into the air in unison, fangs at the ready, "Sudden death."

…..

Thor wasn't about to let himself be eaten. Thinking quickly, he slammed his fists against the brick wall, the shock causing the creature to let his team-mates go free just as the building starting to crumble and fall all around him.

"THOR!" Steve coughed, the dust from the collapsed building entering his mouth, "WE NEED TO HELP THOR!"

"HOW?!" Tony grabbed Steve's arm, pulling him back as the dust cleared. All that remained of the building was a large pile of bricks and metal beams. The only sign that there was even a creature, was the clenched, clawed fist sticking out of the wreckage.

"THOR!" Clint cried out, "QUIT PLAYING AROUND THOR!"

They all ran over to the wreckage, Tony desperately scanning for signs of life.

…..

Hel smirked from her vantage point, "Game. Set. Match."

Loki looked away from the scene, unwilling to admit that his heart clenched in grief.

….

"Nothing… there's- "

Before Tony could finish the sentence, a creaking noise filled the air, and everyone turned to the clenched fist of the creature, with many normal citizens starting to panic, believing that the creature had survived the collapse.

However, when the fist unclenched, fingers falling open, a familiar figure stumbled to freedom.

"THOR!"

Almost immediately, the rest of the team were swarming around him, helping to support him as Thor tried to wave them off. As the crowd cheered all around them, Thor beamed at his friends.

"I could get used to this."

"Well… you did win by a landslide after all."

"Clint!"

"That was funny!"

…..

Loki couldn't help but smirk from his vantage point, quietly clapping as Hela ranted and raged behind him.

…..

From then on, it seemed as though Thor could do no wrong.

The city was thrilled at the new addition to the Avengers. Almost every newspaper was desperate for an interview.

Thor's days were full of signing autographs or fighting whatever threat the Avengers had to face that week. Girls flocked towards him, and all the toy stores were bringing out action figures that looked exactly like him.

Schools put on little plays, and almost every child wanted Thor 'Light-up' trainers or the new sports drink.

The months passed and Thor slowly started to get used to it.

At that precise moment in time, he and the other Avengers were having their handprints' immortalised on the pavement outside the Town Hall.

Life was good.

…..

Life was not good.

High above the Town Hall, a spike shattered a plastic toy, as Hel growled at the event she was watching.

"I can't believe this!" She threw her hands into the air, "I throw everything I've got at him and it doesn't even- "

She paused, hearing a squeak near Fenrir. Glancing down, she clenched her fists in pure anger. "What. Are. THOSE?!"

Fenrir glanced down at his paws, "Umm… they make these for dogs now?"

"I've got twenty-four hours, to get rid of my darling baby brother, before the entire scheme I've been setting up for eighteen years, goes up in smoke… AND YOU. ARE WEARING. HIS. MERCHANDISE!"

A spike was seconds away from going through Fenrir's throat when Hel heard the slurping sound. She turned and focused on Jor, who was curled around a large drinks cup, slurping the liquid through the straw, before stopping with a stunned look.

"Ummmm…. Thirsssssssssty?"

The pair were sent running as spikes threatened to impale them.

Clearly amused by the whole situation, Loki pushed himself to his feet and smirked, heading over to the edge to watch, trying to ignore Hel staring at him, almost daring him to piss her off as well.

"I've been going about this all wrong." Hel suddenly announced, "I think I need… a different plan."

Knowing instinctively that she was looking at him, Loki rolled his eyes, "Don't even go there."

"He has got to have a weakness, because everyone has a weakness! We just need to find out what it is!"

"You have two minions for that! Try snake venom, it tends to weaken most people!"

Fenrir and Jor glanced over apprehensively, sighing in relief when Hel shook her head.

"They can't handle it… no, I need someone who can handle him as a man."

Loki rolled his eyes yet again, "I swore off handling men, for good."

"Which might have been a good excuse, if it weren't for the fact that I own your soul."

Loki just shrugged.

"Alright." Hel sighed, "How about this? If you give me the key to bringing down Thor, then I will give you what you desire most in the whole cosmos…. Your freedom.

Hel didn't even bother to hide her smirk as the young man inhaled sharply at the thought.

Hook. Line. Sinker.

…

"I hope you were watching Father!" Thor cheered, staring up at the living statue of Odin, "I have wrestled with minotaurs! Grappling with gorgons! This hero business is fun!"

Odin smiled, "YOU'RE DOING GREAT SON, YOU'RE MAKING ME PROUD. ALL THE GODS ARE WATCHING YOU."

"I am glad to hear you say that Father." Thor beamed up at the statue, "I have wated for this day for quite some time."

"OH? WHAT DAY IS THAT?"

"The… day I become a God?"

Odin winced, "YOU HAVE DONE WONDERFULLY SON… BUT YOU ARE NOT QUITE THERE YET. YOU HAVE YET TO PROVE YOURSELF A TRUE HERO."

"But- "

"- BEING FAMOUS, IS NOT THE SAME AS BEING A TRUE HERO."

"Well, what more do you want me to do?"

"THAT IS SOMETHING YOU WILL HAVE TO DISCOVER FOR YOURSELF."

"But how can I- "

"- LOOK INSIDE YOURSELF. YOU WILL FIND IT."

Without giving Thor a chance to say anything more, the statue moved back into position, there was a flash of light… and Thor was a statue once more.

Thor screamed, slamming his fists down on the floor and shattering every tile in the room.

"I do not need you." He hissed, "I never did."


	6. Chapter 6

"On the left is the Avengers building, where you can purchase all the new Thor merchandise, including the new action figure with voice lines, all at the push of a button."

Steve rolled his eyes as Tony shot out of the building in his Iron Man armour, putting on a show for the tourists.

"Alright." Coulson sighed, "You all have a meeting with the Senator, followed by a photo-shoot with the contestants of America's next top model. Tony, Clint, I expect you to both be on your best behaviour!"

"Awww, Phil- "

"- Don't Phil me, I still remember the last time- "

"What is the… point of all this?"

They all turned to Thor, who was staring morosely out of the window.

"Well…" Clint looked around nervously to see if anyone else was going to speak up before he continued, "… Don't you want to be a God, and all that?"

"Yes, but this does not seem to be getting me anywhere."

"You can't give up though! People are counting on you!"

Thor just shrugged.

He already looked completely defeated, as the rest of the Avengers glanced at each other in concern, before Steve took a step forwards, "Thor, listen… you've got something we've never seen before."

"Hmm."

"Yeah!" Tony piped up, "There's nothing you can't do!"

Before Thor could say anything, alarms started blaring all around.

"Thor, do you want to sit this one out?"

Thor thought about it for a few moments, before shaking his head. "I will catch up with you."

And then they were gone.

"So, this is where the mighty Avengers live?"

Thor spun around, beaming at the sight of the slim figure standing behind him… he didn't even question how the younger man got in.

"Loki!"

Loki smirked, "Missed me?"

"It is indeed good to see you again… I missed you."

Loki didn't answer, turning away and glancing around, "Don't you ever get a day off?"

"Not really."

"You're very popular all of a sudden."

"Indeed." Thor nodded, "It is… unusual to be so well-liked."

"Hmm, you sound like you need a break. Do you think your babysitters would go berserk if you played… hooky this afternoon?"

"Hooky?"

Loki looked at him fondly, "Come on, you can fly right?"

"Sort of?"

"Good enough."

…

"That was incredible!" Thor announced hours later, as they decided to make their way to a quieter place, "I had no idea there were so many interesting things to do in the city!"

"Don't you friends go out and socialise?"

"Yes, we have been to many hot dog stands!"

Loki rolled his eyes, "Somehow, I don't think that counts."

As they wandered into the middle of the park, Loki couldn't help but watch Thor fondly, smirking as the other man continued to chatter about the day.

And then he heard the rustling of the bushes behind him.

"Sssssstop fooling around!" Jor hissed.

"Get the goods!" Fenrir growled, before they both seemed to disappear as Thor turned back around.

"You know…" He started, "… I have not had so much fun in, quite some time." He smiled warmly at Loki, "Thank you."

Loki winced at this, turning slightly away from Thor, "Yeah… don't thank me just yet." Taking a deep breath, he forced a cry from his throat, falling forwards and hoping that Thor caught him time.

Thankfully, he did.

"Are you alright?"

Loki winced, "Sorry… weak ankles."

"Well, we had better sit down then." Thor lifted him into his arms and carried him over to a stone bench near a fountain, sitting next to him.

Loki took a deep breath, "So… do you ever have problems like this?" He stuck his ankle up near Thor's face, chuckling as the man flushed.

"Weak ankles I mean."

Thor chuckled nervously, pushing Loki's leg down gently, "Nay, nothing like that."

"None at all?" Loki shuffled closer, "No trick knee? No slipped discs?"

"Nay."

As Thor turned away, clearly oblivious to the line of questioning, Loki rolled his eyes, "You really are perfect."

"Nay, not really."

Unable to stop a soft chuckle at that, Loki leaned back against the bench, turning to face Thor… who was suddenly a lot closer than expected.

The air felt electric between them.

Up above them, a shooting star flew through the sky, breaking the spell between them as they pulled away from one another.

"You know…" Thor cleared his throat, "… when I was a child, I would have given anything to be like everyone else."

"You wanted to be petty and dishonest?"

Thor frowned, watching as Loki got to his feet and headed over to the fountain, "Not everyone is like that."

"…. Yes, they are."

Thor frowned at this, watching as Loki turned away from him, as though trying to hide his expression. "You are not like that."

"How do you know what I'm like?!" Loki snapped.

"All I know, is that you are the most amazing person I have ever met." Thor stated sincerely, moving forwards, even as Loki backed away.

And then Loki backed into a small statue… and small statute of a Cupid.

He just got stabbed by Cupid's arrow.

It was hard to ignore.

"Loki…" Thor continued, his voice soft, "… When I'm with you, I don't feel so… alone."

"Sometimes it's better to be alone."

"What do you mean?"

"… Nobody can hurt you."

Thor was silent for a few moments before slowly reached over and gently grabbed Loki's hands. "Loki, I would never… ever… hurt you."

"And I don't want to hurt you, so let's do ourselves a favour and stop this… before…" Thor's face was getting closer and that same tension that was between them was building up once again.

Seconds before their lips connected, there was a bright light as a familiar voice echoed throughout the park.

"Break it up! Break it up! Party's over!" Tony landed with a thud, the rest of the Avengers following on behind, "We've been looking everywhere for you Thor! This is why everyone needs trackers!"

"Tony. No." Steve sighed, before turning and glaring at Loki, who rolled his eyes.

"Calm down." The young man sighed, pulling himself away from Thor, "I was just taking him out for a little bit of fun."

"Yeah, we can guess what kind of fun." Clint smirked, "Thor's in trouble!"

"I am?" Thor frowned at the sing-song tone in Clint's voice, "Why?"

"For just taking off like that and worrying us sick!" Tony yelled. "Do you have any idea how…"

As Tony continued to rant, Thor turned to Loki and shrugged, "I apologise for them." He reached up and grabbed a branch, picking a flower from it and handing it to Loki, "They should 'get over it soon' or so they say."

When Loki took the flower from him, Thor seized his opportunity, leaning over and kissing the other man on the cheek.

"Come on Thor!"

"Coming, coming."

….

Watching as the heroes headed into the distance, Loki found himself softly stroking the petals of the flower, only to groan and wince, "What's the matter with me…" He sighed, fingernails stabbing into the stem of the flower, "… You know what this does to people!"

But Thor wasn't like that… was he?

Quickly turning his thoughts away from that, Loki shook his head, turning to walk through the gardens.

It was too cliché… falling for the man who'd saved him from a tough situation.

Thor would change, same as the rest of them… as soon as Loki felt comfortable with him, he would change.

That didn't stop him from smiling when he saw the statue of Thor and the other Avengers they'd set up in the centre of the park.

Maybe… maybe Thor was different.

"Alright." He whispered to himself, the flower still in his hands, "Maybe I love him. Just a little bit."

"Well… isn't that interesting?"


End file.
